Moving Forward: INELI-ASEAN’s 3rd Convening in Vietnam

Last 27-30 November 27-30 2017, the International Network of Emerging Library Innovators – Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (INELI-ASEAN) held its 3rd and last Convening in Hanoi, Viet Nam. The convening aimed to continue to build a strong network of outstanding emerging library leaders who hold a strong vision for the future of public libraries in the region, and to uphold the promise that all its participants will continue what they have started in the Project, support all its causes, and cascade their learning to their colleagues, institutions, communities, and country – that even if the Project ends, the legacy lives on.

Participating in the Convening were seven (7) project team members, two (2) learning facilitators, nine (9) sponsors, five (5) mentors, twenty-seven (27) innovators, and two (2) guests from India.

The 3-day event was hosted by the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV). In the welcome remarks delivered by Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Vietnam’s the Deputy of Minister, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, she said that the event was very timely as they were also celebrating their 100 years Founding Anniversary. Mr. Cesar Gilbert Q. Adriano, Director of the National Library of the Philippines, on the other hand, delivered the introduction and inspirational message. Mr. Adriano said that the INELI ASEAN Project, not only improves public libraries in the Philippines, but as well as the public libraries and librarianship in the region. Thus, it is truly a great honor for the Philippines to partner, collaborate, and network with all of its fellow Southeast Asian brothers and sisters.

The 3rd Convening was packed with various activities, such as, presentation of the status, outcomes, prospective impact, envisioned future, and results of the Project for collaboration with other Regional INELIs; poster-presentation of best practices in public library innovations; workshops; presentation of collaborative projects; sharing, and; library and cultural tours around different institutions in Viet Nam.

To conclude the 3rd Convening and the INELI-ASEAN Project, various awards were given to well-deserving innovators and project teams. The awards were as follows:

The 3rd Convening ended with a positive and passionate atmosphere, with all the participants burning with passion, as everyone moved forward and took on the challenge of living up to the goals of the Project and of being the first INELI ASEAN innovators.